Flu-like illness activity now at highest rate on record, new CDC data shows

ABC News•January 5, 2026•general

Key Points:

Flu activity in the U.S. is rising sharply, with outpatient visits for flu-like illnesses reaching the highest rate since 1997, primarily affecting children and young adults.
The CDC reports approximately 120,000 hospitalizations this flu season, a 48.1% increase from the previous week, along with at least 11 million illnesses and 5,000 deaths, including nine pediatric fatalities.
New York has experienced record flu hospitalizations and cases, driven largely by a new H3N2 subclade K strain, which has also caused spikes in Canada, Japan, and the U.K.
Experts warn that flu cases are expected to continue increasing and emphasize the importance of annual flu vaccinations, yet vaccination rates